Keeping Forever: A Continuation
by Ladylina09
Summary: Sequel to Finding Forever! It's only just beginning.
Heavy rain had begun to fall symbolizing a natural shift. A change in the atmosphere, droplets that had become condensed from water vapor released back to the earth to only begin again. Looking upon something that most would take for granted and suddenly begin to feel envious of a single raindrop, would be considerably insane.

"Hey, come back to bed." A low voice crooned in the shadows, night reflecting off his tender face.

She heard soft rustling behind her, but kept her eyes fixed to the moisture outside her window. "Bad dream?"

"No, just thinking." Winnie murmured, throwing a gaze over her shoulder, "I can't...sleep."

She felt the familiarity of his contact as his careful arms wrapped protectively around her from behind.

"Well, just lay with me?" He offered softly into her ear. He shifted her so he could see her face, "You okay?"

She nodded solemnly trying to show truth in her eyes, but knew she was failing miserably.

"Sorry, I woke you." She whispered, under lowered eyelids.

"Hey, don't apologize...Are you thinking about him?"

Winnie quickly looked away, attempting to hide her shame, "Different things...him and Liza. I've never felt so...so useless."

"Win, look at me," Jesse's fingers immediately raised her chin, "There is nothing, nothing you or any of us can do."

Winnie saw his lips moving, but the words that he was speaking did not register within her.

She had not been allowed the opportunity to be certain of that. Everything had happened so fast…if only she had somehow managed to be more convincing.

Frantically pacing at an inhuman speed through the hallways of St. Francis Memorial proved to be challenging. Winnie clutched her side satchel to her as she zipped and dodged around patients, their families, and hospital personnel. No one had thought to call out to her and tell her to slow down. For they knew, whatever was causing her to charge past them at the speed of light, must have been life or death.

As she approached the nurses station, she adjusted to a walk-run. Isaac sat with his head bowed to his lap just ahead of her.

"Isaac!" She called out, hurriedly approaching him

He immediately rose at the sound of her voice, his face a beet red with new tears forming at his lower eyelids.

"Winnie…"

"Where is he?" She interrupted anxiously.

He shook his head and rubbed his face in his hands, raising his bloodshot eyes to her. "I can't be in there right now."

"Where's Liza and your mom?"

"His doctor called a family support therapist...she's talking with them somewhere. I really have no idea. My mind is going a billion miles an hour."

Winnie knew better than to reach for him but embraced the urge. Under 'normal' circumstance she would have been taken aback as he welcomed her touch on his arm.

"I didn't mean for you to come here," He huffed.

"Please, let's not do this right now...I want to know what's going on. Maybe there's something that can be done…"

He twisted from her hand, "No! Nothing can be done!...don't you get that? They're saying he's brain dead. Do you understand what that means, Winnie?"

There were several sets of eyes on them from the nurses station. Winnie tried to find words and even opened her mouth to speak, failing almost immediately. She deserved every last bit of his anger, of his hurt and wrath toward her. Still, she wasn't going to go away, she would remain exactly where she was.

"Why are you even here?" He spat after a short pause, "I don't want you here."

" _You_ called me...any person in my position would be here right now."

"Please leave."

"I'm not going anywhere, Isaac." She vowed, holding her stance, "If I could just see him…"

"Why would I even let you anywhere near him. There's nothing you could possibly do for him. So, it's best you just go."

As if on cue, Winnie's cell phone buzzed in her bag. She didn't need to look at it to know it was Jesse. He had called her about a dozen times completely unaware of her intentions.

Isaac gave her a knowing look that expressed everything he'd felt and so much more.

"Get back to your boyfriend, Winnie."

"So, we're going to do this...right now?" Winnie retorted softly, dismissing the call yet again.

His silence was almost deafening and she quickly decided on a more tactful approach, "Your dad is laying in there, frozen in his own subconscious. Can you please put aside whatever hatred you have for me right now and just listen...please? I need to see him and I'll explain everything once we're inside that room."

"You're not a doctor. You don't know the first thing about any of this."

"I know you don't want him like this," she quipped, "What they are claiming...it's not a death sentence."

"I've already called for a second and third opinion in the city. I can't...I don't believe he's..."

"Please, just let me see him Isaac."

They stood staring at one another for a while until finally, Isaac gave Winnie a defeated glance, knowing he had nothing else to lose. He didn't say a word as he passed her to walk to the door of the room his father was in.

She carefully followed him inside as he calmly held the door open for her to enter. Once she was inside, he allowed the door to close behind them.

Avery Blanc's facial expression hadn't changed at all since Winnie was last there. He actually looked quite comfortable, peaceful even. Winnie remembered her initial encounter with him and how she thought that he had the most intimidating eyes, She could never really maintain steady eye contact with him for more than just a few seconds, even after knowing him for the past six years. She'd known he was kind, funny, and very easy-going. Like Isaac, he was also very handsome. Isaac stood at the foot of the bed with his arms folded, noticeably sizing her up.

"What now?" He finally spoke after a minute or so had passed.

Truth be told, Winnie thought it would have been a shot in the dark for Isaac to let her within ten feet of his father. She held her side satchel carefully to herself and looked down at it as if she could see the bottle of spring water with x-ray vision. There was no way she would be able to convince him to transfer the water from the bottle into his dad's IV.

Her phone rang again for the thirteenth time.

"For the love of God, can't he take a hint?" Isaac audibly muttered.

Winnie fought the urge to roll her eyes, but decided to glance down at her phone.

"It's Liza." Winnie realized, "She doesn't know I'm already here."

"Answer it." Isaac quickly retorted, anxiously making his way over to her.

Winnie immediately accepted the call, adjusting it a little between the both of them so he could hear as well.

"Liza, I'm at the hospital. Isaac and I are with your dad right now."

She could tell Eliza was trying desperately to keep her breathing under control.

"Do you know what the doctor's are saying?" Eliza sobbed.

Winnie made eye contact with Isaac for a brief moment, before turning her attention back to her best friend.

"Yes. That's why I'm here. Do you need me to come to you?"

"No, I had to get out of that room. I feel sick. I have no idea what to do, Win."

Winnie sighed lightly hearing the fear in Eliza's voice.

She chose her next words carefully, "Can you please come back to the room, Liza? I have something I need to talk to you and Isaac about."

"Why are you being so cryptic?" Isaac assessed, once Winnie had gotten off the phone. "We really don't need this right now."

"I know of something that could possibly help your dad's situation. I just need time to sort my thoughts, okay?"

Winnie knew she was dancing on a fine line. Afterall, it wasn't solely her secret to tell. She was beginning to feel a twinge of guilt for not at least discussing it with Jesse, but time was definitely of the essence.

She felt her phone buzzing again.

"Go," Isaac calmly gestured toward the door, "Answer it."

She marched quickly to the door and exited in time to hear Jesse's voice.

"I'm coming to you." He spoke assertively.

"Jesse...please don't." She begged softly, "That's the last thing that needs to happen."

"I don't care. After this, I'm never letting you out of my sight again. I should've never let you face this alone."

Winnie felt a chest growing increasingly heavy. He would find out anyway so she knew it best to just get it over with.

"I think the Spring can help him." She finally confessed in a soft voice.

"Please...please don't tell me that you're doing what I think you're doing, Winnie. That's not an option."

"Its his _only_ option."

"Can you at least promise me you won't do anything until I get there?"


End file.
